Episode59
The Return of the Progenitors We picked things up with our valiant heroes in the command and control room of the Redemption. The Redemption was stable for the time being thanks to some nifty engineering and our Shadow Reaver friends. We decided to speak to the Redemption Core first since it likely had valuable information. Using the ancient G'Neer Multi-Tool with the Core Interface, we were able to activate its verbal communication system, discovering that the Core was a She, who went by 'Orally'. It quickly became evident that she really didn't like Reavers, (including Shadow Reavers), and tried to convince us to destroy them immediately, as she felt that they could not be trusted. Somehow, sitting idle for 24,000 years had not helped her put the horrors of the last Progenitor-Reaver war behind her, (the phrase "We must build Sun-Cannons!" was uttered). Beyond the prejudice she did have some useful information. Like, for example, she told us how the ill-fated mission had met disaster due to 'bad luck'. The crew of the Redemption had stopped at the Lighthouse Planet for supplies, but it turned that the planet was populated by a sentient species. Failing to heed the Prime Directive, the Progenitors interfered with the fledgling native culture, hoping to 'elevate' them so that when the Redemption returned on the way home the natives would have hopefully developed additional resources for them to pilfer. Unfortunately, this cultural interference lead the locals to form a religion based around the Progenitors which, in twist of galactic irony, was their ultimate downfall. By the time the Redemption returned to the planet the natives had become such radicalized religious zealots that they would rather have imploded their own star than allow the Redemption to get close. So they did. The implosion created a chain reaction which collapsed the star into a black hole which yanked the Redemption off course so it collided with the planet, where we found it. Lesson of the day: obey the Prime Directive! Orally also was very focused on following proper 'protocol', which seemed to involve awakening 'The Primarch', apparently the leader of the Progenitors inside the PPD. In fact, she talked so much about how the Primarch was going to 'take care' of the Reaver infestation that Oz decided to take what initially appeared to be drastic action; he told Zargax that the Shadow Reavers should pull back, since the Progenitors were about to return, and they didn't sound like they'd be very understanding about seeing any kind of Reavers nearby. Wisely, the Shadow Reavers retreated, (which immediately pushed the doom clock forward to four days and counting, and rocked the ship hard). This worried everyone a great deal, but there was no way that Oz was going to allow the slaughter of the Shadow Reavers after they had sacrificed so much to help us save the multiverse. Pete was still a bit concerned about the Progenitors assuming we were Slaves and attempting to seize control of the Galaxy if we released them, so he refused to push the Primarch Retrieval Button when Orally commanded him to do so. Also, Pete doesn't take orders from AIs, that's like crazy backwards land! Not to be thwarted from following protocol, she generated herself a Synthetic Avatar robot to push the damn button herself. We debated trying to stop her, but it really just seemed somehow imprudent. A soon as the PPD was activated, a deep telepathic screaming was released, along with thousands of Shadow Progenitors streaming out! Most of them flew directly into the Star, but a few dispersed into the ship. It was clear from Orally's reaction that this was not part of the normal process. The Star reacted to the the influx of Progenitor souls by glowing brightly and pulsing a light wave outwards engulfing the entire party. It was sweet, sweet light. Our sleep deprivation was washed away and we emerged with a new Light Emulsion power, (take 50 DR to get +10 STR/DR for 10 Segments!). The horrible screaming overcame and incapacitated half the party, but the rest of us managed to get the PPD closed before the entire Progenitor fleet popped out. But not before an old man emerged. The old man was apparently the Primarch, but he was very confused and distant. We tried to talk to him, but he was only lucid for short periods of time. When he mentioned 'the voice' Oz pointed to the Star and, in a scary moment, he tried to grab it, but we managed to stop him. From speaking with him at-length later, we learned that excessive proximity to the Black Hole had warped space-time to the extent that it broke the Stasis effect of the PPD, leaving the Progenitors conscious, but only able to act in extreme-ultra-mega-slow-motion. Needless to say, most of the Progenitors had gone completely insane over the intervening thousands of years, with many killing themselves by crashing their ships together, (in near-stasis-super-slow-mo of course). Apparently three ships had remained intact by focusing on the Voice, but that was all that was left of the once proud fleet. Basically, the PPD was full of screaming, insane Progenitor souls. D'oh! In some ways, its comforting to know that the Progenitors are no more infallible than us but in others its deeply frightening. Who can we look to for help if not the Progenitors? We truly are the last, best hope for the multi-verse. Needing to save the Ship before it was sucked into the Black Hole, Pete suggested that we cut the Command and Control Module, (which contained not only the SotP and the PPD, but also the Gate Energy Source and Auxiliary Power System), free of the rest of the vessel, turning it into into its own escape pod! Orally and the Chief concurred, and set the Builder-Bots to work making it happen. Since Pete had come up with the plan, it of course involved a giant Explosion that blasted us off into space. Once they had finished building a proper Hull and Engines for our new Progenitor Flag-Ship, christened the "Heart of the Redemption", Orally sent the Builder-Bots back to try and Salvage more goodies from the Redemption, but it was questionable whether they would succeed or be forever lost beyond the Back-Hole's Event Horizon. After spending three blocks on the Redemption it was time for sleep. Kiwi dream-walked to visit his followers and found out that Oros had been attacked by the Rhino-girl, who had come back with reinforcements. Most of the cargo bay had been destroyed and they were on the run, we need to help them fast! With the Tree-Gate lost along with one of the Fighters and the Quantum Rift Inhibitor, (and its 100 level Power-source), NPC Spru'Seree was directed to construct a new one for the Hound, while the PCs, (when they woke up), turned out their pockets in search of Tree-Metal to build a corresponding gate on our end, (for the Record, it should be noted that Oz built a Gate before Pete). Oz dream-walked to Uxia for his regular Booty-Call. Oh, and also to find out what was happening with his daughter on Hubertus. He and Uxia travelled to her in the dream-state, only to find Lady Hubertus there waiting for them! She was very angry that we had entered her territory without asking her permission and was holding Xena hostage to prove her point. Oz dispatched his peeps to find out what they could and promised to open negotiations as soon as he could. Uxia dispatched her peeps and basically declared war. It's going to be hard to avoid an intra-galactic war with Uxia on the warpath! It is tempting for this logger to continue the tradition of ignoring the ritual that will save the multi-verse, but apparently cooler heads have finally prevailed? It turns out that we need to locate The Treatise of Omashu from a place called the Halls of Orta. Omashu was a researcher looking into the Ancient Ones, (the original Gate Builders), but ultimately turned Reaver and abandoned his research. Zargax believes that the Treatise contains an 'ancient one' ritual which, if cast when the Progenitor souls are released from the SotP, will bring balance back to the Universe by using the Gate network in combination with the Star of the Progenitors to take advantage of the Harmonic Convergence. That's where we left things! 33 Generic 11 Academic for the logger Bennie for SAD . Back to Space Junk LogCategory:Space Junk